More People Are Dining Out Alone

It used to be considered depressing to reserve a table for one in a restaurant, but no more.

According to an analysis from online restaurant reservations provider OpenTable, reservations for parties of one have grown nationally by 62% recently.

They are the fastest-growing table party size, the company said.

Clearly, eating out alone doesn’t carry the same stigma it one did. What changed?

Caroline Potter, the Chief Dining Officer at OpenTable, said that solo diners are treating a visit to a top restaurant like they would a sporting event, or show.

“Solo dining is about treating yourself to a delicious experience and savoring every bite,” Potter said. “From communal and counter seating to doting table service, restaurants are welcoming parties of one with open arms.”

This signals a shift in how we view the dining-out experience: where once it was all about sharing the night with other people, now it’s all about the eating.

Besides, who is really alone anymore? With our smartphones and tablets, we remain connected to our social, work and consumer lives wherever we are these days.